Biden Ups Firefighter Pay, Pushes Climate Spending

Biden Ups Firefighter Pay, Pushes Climate Spending
President Joe Biden holds a meeting with cabinet officials, governors and private sector partners to discuss preparedness of Western states to heat, drought and wildfires this season, at the White House in Washington, on June 30, 2021. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
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President Joe Biden announced pay raises for federal firefighters on Wednesday and said the United States was behind in its preparations for a potential record number of forest fires this year because of drought and high temperatures.

Biden’s remarks at a virtual meeting with governors of western states sought to show the White House is treating wildfires are no less a national emergency than hurricanes.